The Goblin Princess: Smoky the Dragon Baby; Jenny O'Connor, illustrated by Kate Willis-Crowley12/3/2021
We all know parents like nothing more than a tidy bedroom and children who are polite, clean and well-behaved. Well, the Goblin Princess lives in a world where everything is a little bit topsy-turvy. Cleanliness is frowned upon, good behaviour is a definite no-no and a tidy bedroom is the most terrible of crimes!
Matty, the Goblin Princess, lives in a world in which she does not fit. The goblin world expects her to be messy, unclean, unruly and to fear the sparkly forest fairies but she much prefers a tidy room, clean clothes and good personal hygiene. When Sparks, the dragon, gives birth to a dragon pup Matty is desperate to keep him. However, the new dragon pup is as well behaved as she is and unless she can train it to be messy and disobedient her father, the Goblin King, has decided that it will have to go. Is it possible to un-tame a dragon… Oh, Matty and Smoky brought so many happy smiles to my face. It is a terribly funny story where naughtiness is expected and will have readers in fits of giggles as they try to make sense of a world where bad behaviour is celebrated. Princess Goblin lives in a wonderfully fun world where everything is turned on its head and I imagine it is a world that many children would like to live in. No more cleaning bedrooms, being nice to siblings or brushing hair…breakfast is best eaten mid food fight and pets are only to be kept if they are willing to set fire to the furniture.
Princess Goblin is a delightful character who teaches readers the importance of being true to yourself, about loyalty and never giving up. Supporting characters are great too, not least for their hilarious names…let me introduce you to Stinkwort, Mrs. Dollop and Mrs. Grimwig. Gorgeous illustrations accompany the story and each page is an absolute treat. The use of a pond green colour for the pages of the book is inspired - the perfect choice for a book about goblins.
Recommended for 6+.
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